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Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

My apologies if my questions cover areas that have already been discussed.

As a little background, I'm a Pianist by training and inclination, however, I've always had music in my mind. It's there all day and sometimes at night, however, I've never been able to get the music "out of my head" except to play it on the Piano. There's nothing strange about that I guess, however, more often than not, I find myself humming or whistling melodies that have an orchestral backing playing away in my head - that's not something easily replicated with only 8 fingers and 2 thumbs on a mono-timbral instrument. I've tried using a synth with "orchestra patches", with very very disappointing sonic results.

My training has been simply Piano lessons and exams, but nothing else, so I'm therefore very unfamiliar with Orchestration as such, however, I do know the sounds I want when I hear them (hopefully that makes sense).

So, if you're still reading this, I'm hopeful you may be able to answer my question, or at least put me off purchasing if need be.

Am I correct in assuming that IO will enable me to literally play "live" orchestral parts from a MIDI keyboard?
Can I "record" either with a sequencer or with Audio outputs what has been played?

If I'm to believe word for word the blurb on the Garritan website, this would appear true, however, I'm a little mindful that brochures tend to over-simplify things a little or, in some cases, embellish the truth a little.

If indeed my assumptions are correct, I'd have to say, this is quite possibly a dream come true for me. I may finally be able to "hear" my ideas more realistically outside of my own head for the first time.

Re: Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

Originally Posted by Siriosys

My apologies if my questions cover areas that have already been discussed

...My training has been simply Piano lessons and exams, but nothing else, so I'm therefore very unfamiliar with Orchestration as such, however, I do know the sounds I want when I hear them (hopefully that makes sense)...

Am I correct in assuming that IO will enable me to literally play "live" orchestral parts from a MIDI keyboard?
Can I "record" either with a sequencer or with Audio outputs what has been played?...

Hello, Siriosys - Your question is The key topic of the Forum - using software to produce music, so no apologies needed! We'll never plumb the entire depth of that basic question.

Being a pianist wanting to expand your musical palette beyond the piano describes many of us here, so you're certainly in the right place.

With the Garritan Libraries of software instruments, you can indeed play orchestral parts from a MIDI keyboard, and the way big scale recordings are made with those tools, software and keyboard, is by recording with sequencing software or notation software.

BUT - based on what you've said your needs are, I am rather sure the first Garritan Library you should buy is GPO-Garritan Personal Orchestra. It has the entire family of orchestral instruments, while IO focuses on ensemble groupings of instruments. GPO has solo instruments for each section of the orchestra, plus piano and harp, while IO has, for instance, large string sections, large brass sections and woodwind sections, then many many combinations of those sections, plus sound textures handy for putting together "soundscape" pieces such as are used in film soundtracks.

Go to the Garritan site again where you saw the information about IO, and take a look at the GPO information, and listen to some of those demos. I think you'll discover why I'm saying GPO would be the best first Library for you. -- When you've had a chance to study that some, come back and let us know what you think. And if questions come up, we'll be glad to help you out.

Re: Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

Good call Randy. I actually sent him a private message saying exactly that. There's a benefit to having the solo instruments as well as creating your own sectional tones. Here's a question for you, what DAW/sequencer will you be using? All of the Garritan libraries come with the Aria player to "play" the instruments but you still need a sequencer of some sort to get anywhere.

Re: Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

Thanks for the tips chaps, they were helpful, insightful, and actually helped me make a decision, just not the one I was being pointed towards. However, it was worth doing the GPO thing.

I popped over to a friend's place who has GPO4 and had a bit of a whirl on his setup. Although I loved the samples and the individual sounds, I found it hard to still get my ideas to a position where I was happy with them........ maybe that's a learning curve thing...... however, to cut a very long story short, I took the plunge and got Instant Orchestra instead.

All I can say at this point is WOW!!!!!! I haven't had so much fun with an Orchestra in my life!!....... I feel like a very amateur artist who's been given a pallet of colors chosen by the Masters! Sure, it doesn't write music for me, but that's not what I wanted. I was trying to work out how to get the "sounds" I so desperately wanted to get out of my head and hear with my ears........ and apart from a few technical glitches with the software (pitch stick annoyances, patches not playing consistently, and Ambience not always working the way I want(, I couldn't be happier!

Once again, thanks........

God, I dunno how many hours have gone by since I got this, but there's a growing list of stuff I should be doing, but have ignored for the time being.......... there's music to be made instead!..... If anybody needs a wife, let me know as mine will probably abandon me shortly if I keep this up for too much longer.............. decisions, decisions.....

Re: Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

Originally Posted by Siriosys

however, to cut a very long story short, I took the plunge and got Instant Orchestra instead.

All I can say at this point is WOW!!!!!! I haven't had so much fun with an Orchestra in my life!!....... I feel like a very amateur artist who's been given a pallet of colors chosen by the Masters! Sure, it doesn't write music for me, but that's not what I wanted. I was trying to work out how to get the "sounds" I so desperately wanted to get out of my head and hear with my ears...

Hi Siriosys,

It's great to hear you are enjoying Instant Orchestra so very much! Enjoy your new Orchestral Palette!

Re: Question regarding Instant Orchestra from absolute newbie

... and apart from a few technical glitches with the software (pitch stick annoyances, patches not playing consistently, and Ambience not always working the way I want), I couldn't be happier!...

Echoing what Chad said, it really is great to hear a new Instant Orchestra user liking it so much.

I've pulled out the above quote since it lists your issues. I don't think any actual glitches in the software are causing the problems, but of course it'll be good to figure each thing out:

--Pitch stick. That's something that crops up in various recording programs, depending on their settings. We still don't know what software you're using, that could possibly help. I know, for instance, that Sonar users have stuck note issues sometimes when they stop playback while a sustained note is still playing - and the solution for that is obvious,-the user shouldn't stop during a note. But more detail on your particular problem might get us on track to a solution.

--Patches not playing consistently. I don't know what that means really, it's so general. Not consistent in what sense? It's possible, for instance, for a passage to sound different depending on what MIDI controllers are in the track, and which ones are currently engaged when you start playback. More info on this would be helpful, thanks.

--Ambience not always working the way you want. - Please describe what's happening, because again the problem is described vaguely and we really don't have any info. Not playing the way you want--how Do you want it? What's happening that seems wrong-?